Friend of A Guardian
by Bjrit92
Summary: Whitney's life was normal. Well, as normal as her life ever is. Until one day, when she notices a white-haired stranger high in a tree, watching her.


**Hello there! This is my second story ever published, so please read and review! I'm contemplating making this more than just a one-shot, so reviews will definitely help me decide that.**

**For those faithful readers who were reading my previous work, I hate to do this to you guys, but it's on hiatus for an undisclosed amount of time. I'm in complete writers block with that story so unless I am hit with some miracle laser of awesomeness I'm not sure if it's ever going to be finished.**

**As the general disclaimer, I do not own RTG characters. I only own the couple I've made up for the purposes of this story. :)**

**Enjoy and please don't forget to READ and REVIEW! :)  
**

"Ugh, I hate this song. Skip it."

I reached over to my phone and pressed "next" as Andrea turned another page in her Cosmo. Re-adjusting my cardigan, I rolled over onto my back on the blanket we had laid out on the grass. It was late afternoon. The sun had barely begun to set, and yet it was getting chillier as the day went on. It didn't bother me much though. Growing up in the mountains, you're born with the ability to adjust your internal body temperature to satisfy your warmth needs as the air around you freezes—that's what I believe, anyway. Andrea, however, grew up in the sun and surf on the opposite side of the state. I rolled my eyes as she shivered and snuggled closer under her sweater and woolen blanket.

"Remind me why you chose a school in the mountains? It's hardly your natural habitat," I chided her. Andrea stuck her tongue out, "Because this school is one of the best teaching schools in the state. If I survive the winters, I'll go on to have my own classroom full of little minds to manipulate."

"Right, and when you completely fuck them up in the heads you can send them to me" I joked. Sure, I could get a degree in Psychology anywhere I wanted to, but I love the mountains. It's where I was born. I swear I was a penguin in a former life. I can feel it in my bones. There's something about winter and the cold bite of wind that's exhilarating and beautiful to me. I was perfectly happy lying out here on a blanket in the evening air reading a book or just watching the clouds. Andrea is happy wherever there's a heater and wifi. I put down my book and looked up at the sky. The sun was just beginning to set, so the sky had a faint pink tinge to it. I loved sitting on the hillside, surrounded by the trees, watching the sunset. This location is one of the reasons I talked Andrea into getting this apartment with me.

I watched as a bird flew from one of the trees across the sky toward some secret place known only to a bird. That's when I saw him. A boy, I don't know how old from this distance, but from my best guess not much older than me. The fact that he was there wasn't the odd thing about him. What was odd was where he was sitting. A top branch of one of the trees. And he was staring right at me. I locked eyes with him. How did he get up there? No one should be able to climb that high. The branches shouldn't hold his weight. Why is he staring at me? What kind of expression is that on his face?

"Oh my god this is ridiculous. I don't know how you can stand this. I'm going inside." Andrea stood up, wrapped the blanket around her, and grabbed her Cosmo. Her sudden outburst pulled me out of my staring contest. I rolled my eyes and looked over at her.

"It's only October! Are you seriously that cold? You haven't even seen the sunset yet."

"I can see the sunset just fine from the window. Or better yet, on television. It's like, ten degrees out here!"

"It's forty-five."

"Which is like ten where I'm from! I miss the beach."

"You're such a wuss. There's nothing like watching a sunset from a hillside over the mountains. I can't believe you're going inside. You never stay out long enough to watch it with me!"

Andrea pushed open our first-floor window and set her things on the windowsill inside. We took the screen out of it the day we moved in. Well, I did. I hate window screens. They make it so difficult to sneak in and out of a window.

"Tell me all about it tomorrow. I'm gonna go make a hot cup of hot chocolate and finish my magazine before bed. If you come inside before I fall asleep I'll tell you all about the latest ways to please your man!"

I laughed. "Thanks, but no thanks. Save those tips for you and J.D. First I've gotta get a man. THEN we can try and scare him off with the idea of me naked while shoving ice cubes up his ass or whatever-the-heck the latest erotic trend is according to that magazine."

Andrea stuck her tongue out at me again from inside the room. "They were not ice cubes and they were not in his ass. There's actually some interesting tricks in here. Like this one where you take melted chocolate—"

"ANDREA please, spare me. I'll be in later. I'm missing the show."

She closed the window and I laid back down on the blanket. The sky was covered in swirled streaks of orange and red and pink by now. It was beautiful. On a whim I looked up in the tree for the boy I matched eyes with earlier. He was gone. I didn't even hear him leave. How could someone climb down from that height and make no sound? Part of my mind wanted to think on it and try and rationalize and explain his appearance and disappearance. The other half of me, a slightly larger half, wanted to watch the sun finish setting and maybe witness a few twinklings of the stars.

* * *

"WHITNEY. Wake the fuck up already or I'm throwing your phone out the damn window!" I felt a pillow smack my face, and with the sound of the door to my bedroom slamming shut, I woke up completely. Sure enough, Green Day was well into the second verse of American Idiot. Groaning, I reached over and turned off the alarm. Obviously, I had overslept. I had exactly twenty minutes to get ready before the bus reached our apartment complex. I threw the covers off of me and sat up. My head felt so heavy. I'd had a crazy dream last night. It had to do with the boy in the tree. He was in my room, I just have no idea why. I stretched and looked out my window. Or attempted to, at least. The temperature must have dropped last night. My window was frosted over. I rubbed hard on the glass until I could somewhat see outside. It didn't look much different outside. There was only a little patch of frost on the grass outside my room, but with the frost on my window, I was sure it had cooled down significantly. The sun was out, which was a plus. Getting up, I threw on a sweater and a pair of jeans. I brushed my teeth and my hair and after failing to tame it, I threw on one of my baseball caps. That's what I get for taking a shower and sleeping on wet hair. I grabbed my book bag and walked out of my bedroom and into the living room/kitchen. Andrea was already there, nibbling on a bagel and studying her Chemistry book. To my surprise, the heaviest piece of clothing she had on was a pullover.

"You're gonna want more than that to wear today with your temperament with the weather. With all the frost, I'm sure it's at least in the 30s."

"What frost?" She said, looking up from her book.

"Did your window not frost over, too? Mine did."

"No, mine didn't. You're probably right though. If you're wearing a sweater, I'll need at least a snowsuit." She walked into her room to grab a heavier coat.

"Hey, can I ask you something?" I called over to her as I popped my own bagel into the toaster.

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Did you happen to see a guy sitting in one of the trees near us last night?"

"A guy in a tree? No, why?"

"Like, not in one of the lower branches. He was sitting way up high, on a branch someone normally wouldn't be able to climb to."

"I have no idea who or what you're talking about."

"I swear he was in my room last night, too. Although I think that was probably a dream."

"Or you've just finally cracked. Come on, throw that in a napkin. We're gonna miss the bus."

* * *

"I'm telling you, he was there. It's like he's following me or something."

"So you have a mystery guy that only you've been able to see stalking you? You saw him that first night in a tree and what, he's suddenly following you places?"

"I don't know. I know it sounds crazy. I saw him by the corner of the building when we got on the bus the other morning. I saw him outside the window sitting on a bench outside my Psych building yesterday. Today he's sitting on top of the giant hand statue outside the student union when I'm walking in to go get lunch. And no one but me seems to notice him. It's ridiculous."

"Girl, you're a psych major. Is seeing phantom people like, a symptom of something? Maybe the counselor needs some counseling."

"Andrea, I'm not insane. I'm just observant."

"Whatever you say, Whit. How about this. The next time you're with me and you see him, point him out to me. Better yet, go up to him and ask him, "excuse me, have you been stalking me? It's manners to at least introduce yourself to the person you're following around." Are you sure he's even following you? Maybe he's just a random guy that you've passed multiple times throughout the past four years and you're just now noticing him."

"That's what I thought, too, at first. But every time I see him, he's looking at me. It's like he's watching me."

"Well, look. If you get freaked out or if, I dunno, stalker boy tries to break in this weekend while I'm gone, J.D. is just a phone call away. Or call the cops, even. Don't psych yourself out though, pun intended."

"Yeah, I know. I'll be fine. Have fun in Miami!"

"Fun, ha. Fun would be going to Miami and spending every waking moment of the day on the sand or by the pool, not stuffed into a giant room at a Holiday Inn with people I haven't seen since I was 2 years old. It's ridiculous how many cousins and aunts and uncles I have. It's like my family doesn't know how to keep it in their pants."

"Hey, at least you have a large family. I'd love to have a large family. It's just me and my brother. You're blessed, having so many people to share your life with."

"I know girl. But I promise, you and your brother have as much love between the two of you as my entire family has stretched around between everyone."

Andrea hugged me and I held the door open as she dragged her suitcase out the door. The door closed and I looked around at the empty apartment. I took a long, deep breath. As much as I love her, I relish time alone in the apartment. Andrea's my best friend, and one of my only friends. Sure, there's people I talk to in my classes, but I've never connected really with anyone besides her. I guess that's what growing up in Foster care will do to you. My brother aged out first, and as soon as possible, he got a loan for a house and a job and pulled me out of foster care when I was fourteen. I've lived with him for my entire life. For most of it, I was always with Kyle or by myself. I'm a solitary creature by nature. I guess it fits well with the cold and love of winter and mountains. It's thanks to Kyle and grants that I've been able to go to college. I don't know what I would do without Kyle. The least I can do is get my education and a good job. I have no idea what I want to do, though. Sure, I like the idea of helping kids who went through the same shit I did, but I despise the idea of a 9-5 desk job for the rest of my life. If I'd had my choice in my life, I would have been born a Dark-eyed Junco. A small, pretty little snowbird. Not a penguin, because I need to fly. I was probably a penguin in another life, anyway. Next time, I'm putting in a request for a snow bird.

I sat up with a start and the blanket fell off of me. I had fallen asleep on the couch after watching Andrea's copy of Les Misrables. I fell asleep somewhere around the barricade attack, and the movie had long since been over, judging by the blue screen of the television. I patted the area around me, looking for my phone while keeping my eyes on the open door of my bedroom. All I could see was darkness inside, but I swear I heard something. I found my phone and unlocked it so I could quickly call J.D. if I needed him. Looking around quickly, I grabbed the closest thing I could find that could be used as a weapon, which happened to be my shoe. Slowly, I stood up, phone in one hand, shoe in the other, and walked toward the open door. I reached the door, shot out my hand with the phone in it to flip on the light while I raised the hand with the shoe above my head for maximum defensive ability. The light snapped on and I blinked at the sudden change before my eyes focused on the figure sitting neatly at the end of my bed.

"YOU?" The stalker guy from the tree looked up at me.

"Are you talking to me?"

"No, the OTHER dumbfuck sitting uninvited on the end of MY BED. How the FUCK did you even get in here?"

"Through the window."

"What the FUCK kind of person climbs through people's WINDOWS? Who the HELL are you?!"

"You can see me."

"NO SHIT, SHERLOCK. You have got three seconds to tell me WHO you are and WHY you've been following me. And WHY YOU'RE IN MY ROOM!"

"Or you'll bludgeon me to death with a tennis shoe?"

"Or I'll call the cops and they'll bludgeon you to death with their fucking nightsticks."

"You curse a lot."

"That's what tends to happen when I walk in my room and find random people sitting on my bed!"

"Hmmm." The boy stood up from my bed and faced me. He was a little taller than me, probably around 5'10 or so. He had white, unkempt hair that fell around his eyes, which were a striking shade of blue. Those eyes locked on mine, and I couldn't move. I don't remember lowering my shoe, but I looked down and saw it on the floor where I had dropped it. Why did he look vaguely familiar? Like a character from a dream I had once as a child? The man reached toward the wall and picked up a long staff that had been leaning against it. I hadn't noticed it until now. He looked back at me and locked his eyes with mine again, a trend we seemed to have fallen into over the past week.

"How old are you?"

"I don't see why I have to answer any of your questions if you haven't answered any of mine."

"How old are you?"

"If I answer you, you have to answer me. Who are you? What do you want from me? Why have you been following me?"

"I'll answer you. Just first, please, tell me. How old are you?"

"I'm twenty-one. But I have no idea what it means to you."

"You're twenty-one and you can see me?"

"Why do you keep saying that like it's some strange thing? Of course I can see you, why shouldn't I be able to?"

"Because you're twenty-one. I've never been able to be seen by someone over the age of twelve."

I took a step back. "Okay. You're a stalker. You've broken and entered. And you're certifiably insane."

"Whitney, I'm not stalking you. I—"

"How do you know my name and then tell me you're not stalking me?"

"I heard your roommate say your name the other day."

"When and where were you close enough to hear her say my name?"

"When I was…" he sat back down on the bed and looked away from my eyes, "…when I was outside your window the morning after you saw me in the tree."

I let out a low, slow breath. "Look, I don't know who you are, but I'm seriously creeped out now. You need to go. You need to leave me alone. I don't know what you want from me, but you need to go."

"My name is Jack."

"Congratulations, Jack. You managed to answer one question. Now, I don't know about you, but I prefer to meet strangers OUTSIDE of their homes. WITHOUT breaking in and sitting on their beds for a fun surprise."

"Jack Frost. My name is Jack Frost."

"Cute. But you seriously need to leave."

" I will. I will leave. But I need to know something."

"You have the nerve to break in to my bedroom after you've been stalking me for days and make requests?"

"Please, just hear me out?" Jack stood up and grabbed my shoulders. I jumped back. His skin was cold. I could feel the chill through the cloth on my arms. Jack pulled his arms back, realizing he had scared me.

"Please. I promise I'll leave. I just need to know why you can see me."

"What do you mean 'why'? You're a person. You're not invisible."

"But I should be! That's what I mean! Typically once children turn twelve and older they stop believing in me the way they stop believing in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy. Can…can you still see them, too?"

I didn't answer. I just stood there, looking at him. "I was right. You are completely insane. I'm gonna go call the cops now. You just sit there with your stick and they'll be here soon to take you back to your home with Santa and the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny and whoever else you want to be there." I reached for my phone, which I had set on the bedside table.

"How can I prove it to you?" He mumbled. I didn't pay any attention. I had grabbed my phone and was thumbing through my contacts on the way to J.D.'s number. Fuck the police, I was calling J.D. He could probably scare this wacko away better than the police could. I turned away, pressed his name, and held the phone to my ear as it rang. On the second ring I felt something weird tickle my ear. I brushed it away and it tickled again. I turned back to where I'd left Jack sitting on the bed, but it wasn't Jack that made me drop my phone as J.D. picked up. It was the clear blue-white frost bird flying around my room, trailing snow wherever he flew. It was a beautiful dove, made of what looked like snowflakes. He landed briefly on the desk, and when he left, there was a small pile of snow in the shape of a snowflake. I reached over, almost subconsciously, and touched the snow. It was cold, wet, and real. I felt something cold on my shoulder. I looked over and saw the bird as it perched on my shoulder, soaking my sweater where it stood. A movement caught my eye and I looked over to the corner of the room by the window where Jack now stood. I stared at him wide-eyed as the bird flew to him, circled his head, flew back at me, and burst into a cascade of snowflakes over my head. He smiled as my jaw hung open, dumbfounded.

"Whitney? Whitney! Whitney!" came from the floor. Shaking my head as though to wake up, I reached down and grabbed my phone, not taking my eyes off of Jack, who hadn't spoken, but was staring at me again with that strange blue-eyed intensity.

"J.D. calm down, I'm here. I dropped the phone. Nothing's wrong. I thought I heard something. It was nothing. Probably just a…bird. I'm sorry I woke you up. Go back to sleep." Without waiting for a reply, I hung up the phone.

I tore my eyes away from Jack's and walked over to the bed he had vacated. Sitting down, I looked at him again, this time calm. I folded my hands together and cleared my throat.

"So…Jack Frost."

He smiled.

* * *

"So you're telling me they're all real? The fairy tales from my childhood? The Easter Bunny hides eggs and Santa hides gifts and the Tooth Fairy hides money for teeth?"

He smiled and nodded. I'd needed some fresh air after this revelation, so we had climbed through my window into the surrounding night and trees outside the building. We were sitting in a small clearing now, and I looked up at the stars as I spoke to him.

"I just…wow. I would have never imagined. This is too weird. I stopped believing in them years ago."

"Which leads me back to a question I asked earlier. Why can you see me? Only those who believe can see. Why would you stop believing in them, but not in me?" I turned and looked at him again. He was stating at me, his blue eyes confused. I couldn't look away from his eyes. They were like two pools of clear blue water frozen over. They had an intensity, a depth that was completely unfathomable. They were young, youthful, full of life, but with a wisdom that I couldn't comprehend. How old was he? How long had he been…him? He raised an eyebrow and I remembered his question.

"I…don't know. I guess…I never had a reason not to believe in you. I mean, I caught my mom sneaking presents under the tree one year when I was nine. When I was ten, my dad slipped and fell on me in my bed when he was sneaking in to leave money under my pillow for a tooth I'd lost that day. One year my parents straight-up told me we weren't going Easter egg hunting that year because 'they were too busy to remember to dye the eggs and hide them for me.' I guess that disproved the others for me, but I never caught my parents creating snow or painting frost on my window, and I never really understood science and how all that supposedly comes about, so I never had a reason not to believe in you."

He considered my response, his eyes locked with mine the entire time. Seemingly satisfied, he sighed and looked up at the stars. I mimicked him. Suddenly, three stars shot through the air simultaneously. My eyes went wide and I gasped.

"WOAH! Did you see that?" I looked over at Jack to see he had jumped to his feet.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"They're calling me to base. That's one of our more…subtle signals. I have to go. Can…can I come back tomorrow night?" He looked almost sheepish.

I raised an eyebrow. "This is the first time you've asked permission to stalk me." He visually blushed. I laughed. "Yes. Come back tomorrow. But do me a favor and use the door like a normal person."

He grinned and jumped in the air, apparently held up by the wind. That explained how he got so high in the tree. Waving, he turned and flew off.

"And knock first!" I yelled at his disappearing figure.

He was gone. I was still standing there in the now-empty clearing, watching where he had disappeared, thinking about how the night had gone. I went from screaming at a white-headed intruder in my bedroom and threatening him with the police and a shoe to sitting in a clearing looking at the stars with my friend Jack Frost. Friend. I was friends with Jack Frost.


End file.
